IDF Boosting Online Advocacy through Use of Social Media

Israeli army defending Israel on Facebook and Twitter

The Israeli Defense Forces' social media team appears to be heightening
its use of Facebook and Twitter, increasingly posting updates on both IDF activities in Israel and Palestinian activities in Gaza.

On June 14, the IDF posted a Facebook album featuring seven photos with
the title, “Islamic Jihad Kindergarten Graduation in Gaza.” In each of the
photos, several children are dressed in military uniforms and holding weapons
and marching around while waving Palestinian flags.

“I love the resistance and the martyrs and Palestine, and I
want to blow myself up on Zionists and kill them on a bus in a suicide bombing,”
a Gaza kindergarten graduate is quoted as saying in one of the captions.

In two of the photos, a child wearing sunglasses, a kippah and a
military uniform resembling that of the IDF, pretends to torture Palestinian
children in prison.

A child pretending to be an IDF soldier tortures Palestinian prisoners during the celebration. Photo: IDF Facebook page

“Palestinian children in an Islamic Jihad kindergarten just
celebrated their graduation in Gaza. Was your graduation like this? Where’s the
cake and cookies?” the IDF wrote on Facebook. “SHARE these photos with your friends and help spread the truth about the
indoctrination of children in Gaza.”

Later in the day, the IDF posted an infographic on Facebook to report on Gaza
Strip land crossing activities between June 3 and June 9.

“Did you know that every day, Israel sends truckloads of goods and gas
into the Gaza Strip?” reads the photo caption. “Well, if you didn't know, then
the time has come to polish up on your knowledge of what's going on in Gaza. By
sharing this status with your friends, you too will help set the facts
straight.”

So far, close to 2,000 people have both “liked” and shared the photo with their
Facebook friends, which gives them an exact breakdown of the 1,212 truckloads
of supplies that were reportedly transferred from Israel to the Gaza Strip
during the previous week. According to the IDF, 320 of these trucks were
carrying food products, 19 were carrying medicine and other medical equipment,
while 35 were carrying clothing and footwear.

Earlier this week, the IDF began increasing the speed of its updates on
rockets fired from Gaza that have hit Israel to keep up with the increasing pace
of the attacks themselves.

“During 2012 over 275 rockets were fired at ‪#Israel from the ‪#Gaza Strip,” the IDF tweeted on Sunday.

“Since midnight, Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip have
fired 16 rockets into southern Israel. Israelis living near Gaza have only 15
seconds to find shelter when they hear the alarm,” the IDF posted on Tuesday.

Among the
other constant Twitter updates by the IDF feed throughout the past week, the
army also debunked false reports on Tuesday claiming that Israel had killed a
Palestinian child.

“False claims regarding death of a Palestinian child: ‪#IDF did not attack in that area,” read
one of the tweets. “10-15% of rocket launch attempts from ‪#Gaza backfire - here it ended in the
death of a Palestinian child.” ‪

The
following day, the IDF posted a Facebook photo of rockets being launched from
Gaza, with the words, “50 rockets hit Israel in the last three days” written in
large, bold letters across the picture.

Photo: IDF Facebook page

“Over a million
people have less than 60 seconds to protect themselves before the rocket falls,”
reads the caption at the bottom of the photo. “SHARE this picture, because the
mainstream media will not.”

Despite the rocket attacks, the IDF made sure to update the public again
on Thursday on the continued transfer of supplies to Gaza, the launch site of
those same rockets.

“Yesterday, the ‪#IDF facilitated the transfer of 269
trucks with a variety of goods and 185 tons of gas to ‪#Gaza.”

Since
Wednesday, over 42,000 people have shared the photo while close to 8,000 have “liked”
it.

“#Truthis that
130 rockets hit ‪#Israel from
Gaza during the last 3 days and no one in the mainstream media talks about it,”
the IDF tweeted on Thursday. “This morning, 8 more rockets fired from ‪#Gaza hit ‪#Israel.”

What's a goy? You

Yeshiva University has created an "Iron Dome" of Jewish leadership, arming a generation of young men/women with the skills they need to tackle any religious, societal, or communal challenge that lies ahead

Shalom Life's mission is to share, discuss and inspire our readers with stories about Jewish culture and life.

Shalom Life launched in 2009 and has become Canada's largest independent Jewish news source dedicated to covering culture, arts, society, technology, business, and general news, both locally and internationally.

Shalom Life's content has also been syndicated on some of the world's top publications including Macleans, National Post, ABC News, Ynet, Forbes, USA Today and many more, helping expand it's reach to millions of other readers.

Shalom Life's head office is in Toronto, Canada. Shalom Life has recently expanded into Los Angeles, with plans of opening offices across the United States.